The CEO and the Stepsisters

But why? We just got married, and you're talking about a divorce." Elly Weaver protested, as she scanned the list with teary eyes. There were about twenty-one rules and each line she read sounded outrageous to her. Jake had handed this list to her after he walked into her trying to make dinner. She looked up to meet Jake's gaze, but his face was expressionless. Of course this couldn't be the man she was supposed to call a husband. It just couldn't be the man she got married to 48 hours ago, because why would he hate her that much? "I'm not allowed to work too? Jake nodded immediately, without saying a word, he looked pale, like oxygen was being sucked out of his lungs. He could deny he wasn't in love with this woman, but his heart was saying otherwise, something that neither he nor his heart could explain, and so strange to him that someone he had known for just a few hours had that effect on him. Elly couldn't believe her eyes as she wiped the tears that had trickled down her oval smooth face. She plastered her amber-brown eyes on which had turned red and said, "But I'm a graduate of business management, I have dreams, Jake, a lot of them!" "Yes, I know all of that, Elly. I read about you already, you graduated with a distinction too. I've read all of that." Jake sounded. Trying so hard to hide the sadness in his voice. He hated he was doing this, but that was the only way he would shield himself from the charms of the beauty with brains that was now living with him. He had tried to run his hands over his head to relieve some tension, but when he realized that he was meant to act firm, he took his hands off immediately. He raised his eyes to meet the terror in Elly's face and then said, "I know you have all of that, but if you're going to remain in my house, you must study those rules judiciously and abide by it, and cooking is one of them. No cooking, no shopping. You don't use the living room, that's Sane's favorite place and make sure I don't set my eyes on you whenever I'm in the house." Elly had been married to Jake Marker for just forty eight hours, and off course it was a forced marriage, a marriage that had brought so much pain to her life, so much disgrace because not just her husband was willing to send her away if she didn't obey his ridiculous rules, her own family had rejected her, and her father, disowned her. And the small community in Orchid Valley where she grew up? She had heard worse things about herself, as nobody believed she wasn't herself that night at the party. No one cared to listen to her story. She arched her eyebrows as she took a glance at the man before her, wondering if those words had come from someone who was meant to love her as a wife. Now her eyes were filled with hot tears, and the more she struggled to hold them back, the more they found their way to her cheek. "How do you expect me to live that way when I'm not a robot?" "You still have a choice to make, Elly!" Jake snapped, while pointing to the door. "You can divorce me this instant, the ball is in your court." He sounded firm, adjusting the sleeve of his brown shirt, as Elly wondered how such a charming and masculine figure would be that cruel to her. "Alright, I'm going to leave your house in a year if that's what you want, but can you please allow me to chase my dreams? I can't just give up on my dreams. I won't be fit financially to leave your house if I don't pursue my dreams and make some money." Elly pleaded, knowing fully well that she had no money in her name as her father had ordered the bank to take every penny there. Of course, those were too many powers and Rev Albert had them in his arsenal. He was a very powerful billionaire in society, and held his reputation at heart. And now Jake was ordering her not to work for a whole year? She knew she couldn't abandon her dreams for a whole year. She would love to make things work between them but the rules were too extreme for her. She ran her eyes further down the list, to where Jake had pointed out that every part of the house was a bedroom and she should expect that he and Sane will make love anywhere. Sane was Elly's step sister, which made the matter worse. Elly raised her head to meet Jake, but he looked away immediately as their eyes attempted to meet. His heart bled seeing her cry. He was now irresistibly drawn to her, which wasn't strange. Elly's calmness and graceful aura she emitted was always enough to make men love her. And her irresistible beauty? Jake obviously knew what he was trying to avoid by setting those rules, because it was just a matter of time before he fell for either her personality or her beauty, most likely both. "I call the shots, Elly." Jake sounded flatly. This was the last straw Elly needed to draw before she made up her mind. She was now Jake's wife and wouldn't watch him disrespect her in that manner, and even though everyone believed she intentionally slept with Jake that night at Mr Marker's birthday party, she still wouldn't allow Jake bring her that low. "You're going to disrespect me in our home as well?" She asked rhetorically, knowing fully well that Jake had made up his mind. Jake paused to look at her face and it broke his heart. He hated that Elly was going through that. He had made the rules not particularly to punish Elly, but because he knew she was not going to be able to keep to it. He had intentionally added it knowing the no-career part, knowing fully well that Elly was goal driven and wouldn't settle for those rules. "You either keep to these rules or leave my house." Jake sounded, as he dragged his feet away from the kitchen, while battling with the void in his heart, a void he couldn't explain why it existed for a stranger like Elly. Even though Jake had been dating Sane for more than a year, he and Elly still hadn't met each other until that day at the party. That night at Mr Marker's birthday party, Sane had hired a s*x worker and a photographer. She drugged Elly, expecting she would enter the room the Markers had offered them for the night and meet the s*x worker, but Elly mistakenly entered the wrong room which was Jake's. The two being drunk didn't bother to lock the door, making Elly's Father, Rev Albert walk into them. Rev Albert was a man who treasured his reputation so much, and couldn't stand what he saw. The photographer had further exacerbated the matter by taking shots of Elly and Jake and sending it to the media immediately, without knowing that Elly had slept with the wrong person. When Rev Albert couldn't take the shame anymore, he convinced Mr Marker, Jake's father for the two to get married inorder to save his face. Elly's pleas jammed Jake's ears. She was pleading on how the rules were too ridiculous for her Jake on the other hand could tell that her voice was bathed in tears and determination and, now, he feared to turn to look at her face again. "I cant keep those rules you mentioned Jake, and I'll leave your house." Elly muttered in a sad tone. "I hope you know what you're doing, Jake. This might not be what we initially planned, but I was open to loving you, but I can see that you don't even want to give me a chance in your life." She continued, pausing to wipe off tears in between her words, but Jake chuckled lightly and turned to face her. He didn't know what to say, but still couldn't stop her from leaving. Sane was the one his heart beat for, and he was already tired of being in between the drama between the two stepsisters. "It's time, you lose seductress!" A voice thundered from the kitchen door. Elly froze on hearing it, it was the same voice that had tormented her all her life. Now the torment is worse because she feels guilty, so guilty for bringing shame to her family.